The present invention relates to a method of making rod-shaped smokers' products which are provided with so-called multiplex filter mouthpieces, namely, with filter mouthpieces which consist of several components or plugs each having a different filtering material for tobacco smoke. The invention also relates to filter cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped smokers' products which are produced in accordance with the method.
The demand for so-called "light" cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos (with low nicotine and tar content) is on the increase. Therefore, there exists an urgent need for filter mouthpieces which can effectively reduce the percentage of deleterious ingredients (or ingredients which are considered deleterious) from tobacco smoke which is drawn into a smoker's mouth. It has been found that filter mouthpieces which embody so called "NWA-filters" (namely, non-wrapped acetate filters wherein the filter material, such as acetate fibers, need not be provided with a discrete wrapper prior to attachment to a plain cigarette, cigar or cigarillo but comprises, instead, a reinforced porous peripheral layer) are highly satisfactory for use in light cigarettes. Moreover, "NWA-filters" can be produced at a reasonable cost.
Many manufacturers of smokers' products demand that the machines for the production of filter cigarettes or the like be further equipped with means for perforating the uniting bands which serve to connect the filter mouthpieces with tobacco rods. The perforations admit atmospheric air which is admixed to the column of tobacco smoke to reduce the percentage of nicotine and tar. Thus, there also exists an urgent need for filter mouthpieces whose constitutents can intercept a high percentage of deleterious ingredients of tobacco smoke, which dilute tobacco smoke by mixing the smoke with atmospheric air, and which can be produced and assembled with tobacco rods at a reasonable cost.